REDUX: Why I hate Vegas
by SjinXephonis
Summary: I find myself in Atlas, fighting the White Fang, becoming an officer in the army, and being the guardian of one Miss Schnee, whom I may or may not be in love with. How this is going to affect the future? Who knows, but I'm just gonna roll with it. SI, AU, OC, Prequel to RWBY, redux of previous version, original by amvmaster. R&R F&F M-for violence, swearing and possible ships
1. I'm in Atlas

So what do you think was meant to happen, hit up the casinos, gamble away all our low balances, get drunk and meet some females. Unfortunately I couldn't tell you what happened. My best friend and I were off to some business crap, where a bunch of serious stuff happens. But honestly…

FUCK THAT!

We are in Vegas baby, let's make the most of it. Is what both of us thought. So we went to a couple of clubs, and basically got drunk, got separated, and now I have no fucking clue where I am, but I am not wearing my shirt, just my jumper, my pants are ripped, my white sneakers are covered in filth, and I have a splitting headache which could only have been caused by drinks.

So as you can guess, I got fucked up last night. And now I am in an alley. My first thought was instantly "Where the fuck are you Hamish?" I groaned and stood up, i realised i was sans wallet, but still had my phone. The world spun as I pulled it out.

"No service? How come I have no service in the middle of the city. Also since when did it snow in Vegas?" I became fully awake as I realised how cold it was.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto." played on repeat in my head. I looked at my phone again then looked around at the buildings. Something was wrong here.

How come I go somewhere to celebrate completing my course, to wind up in an alley whilst it's snowing. That shit is not real.

A door opened further down the alley, and several guys with masks came out. They all carried guns, and they all looked mean. Another guy followed, but he didn't wear a mask, instead he wore a bowler hat, with red hair and carried a cane.

'That guy looks like Roman, but much younger, from that tv show RWBY. Those guys look like White Fang' I thought to myself. I began to walk towards them intending to ask them if there was a RWBY event nearby.

"Nice cosplay guys."

"Kill him." The guy who looked like Roman said. The White Fang lifted their guns. I had a split second to think 'Oh shit' before the guns fired. I dived to the ground, but felt the bullets whistling past, and I won't lie. A little bit of piss came out. I got up and ran.

"This is why I hate Vegas!" I yelled as I sprinted off with the White Fang chasing me.

I reached the end of the alley and turned left, no clue where I was going but just running away, I had no time to choose which way I went. I was faster than the White Fang, probably a good thing I play hockey, it means I am super fit.

After a couple of streets, I saw the one place I could hide in, and maybe find out some answers. I ducked into the Flynn Hustler Bar. Unfortunately a man was about to leave. We collided and both of us ended up inside, on the ground. I looked over at the guy and was about to apologise, but his appearance left me stunned.

It was as if James Ironwood, general of the Atlas army, had deaged, to about the age of 20. He wore the same white clothes that he did in the tv show, the clothes of an officer of the army. He also carried the same badass revolver.

"Do you have a problem?" He asked, his voice at the young age struck me as a rich stuck-up dickhead. So of course I replied with.

"Not from a snob like you." Then I moved to walk past him and head to the bar. He grabbed my arm. He was still strong, even as this young.

"You are gonna regret that." He told me with steel in his voice. I threw his arm of me, and moved to walk. I heard him mutter "Ass…" before I turned and punched him to the floor. Now I ain't no fighter, but I put all I had into that punch.

James landed on the ground with a thud, and lay there groaning. Everyone in the bar cheered for me, even though they had no clue who I was. Clearly no-one liked James. The cheering however died as James got back up. He glared at everyone at the room. Perhaps marking their faces for later, but I was his enemy first. He turned his eyes on me and I actually felt a little bit scared, but my adrenaline was pumping I was ready for anything.

Except to fight an officer in the Atlas military, and probably fight the White Fang, or a Grimm. Okay i get it, I wasn't ready for everything, but i did say anything. I would have been ready for James to challenge me to a bake-off. James swung at me and I ducked. But his knee followed and crashed into my chin. I got up and swung at him, but he sidestepped and brought his leg up and kicked me in the chest. Several of my ribs cracked. I flew backwards and hit the bar.

"Now I see why he is up there with Qrow and Ozpin." I muttered to myself. I attempted to stand, and managed while clutching my chest. The broken bones were so painful that I nearly fell back down just because the pain overwhelmed me.

"There goes another poor soul who crossed Mr Ironwood." said the man at the bar.

"At least James got knocked to the ground this time." Another replied

"Yeah, it just means that, that kid is a goner." a third woman added. I wanted to scream at them and tell them to shut up, but I was in too much pain to do so. So I did the next best thing. I ran straight at James. He swung his leg to kick me in the head, but I dodged. Then my shoulder collided with his body in the perfect shoulder tackle. James hit the ground again.

"He did it again!?" The barman cried in disbelief. "No one ever managed to knock him down once and survive, let alone a second time." James got back up. I stepped back, unable to fight. I could feel blood bubbling up inside me, and knew I needed some medical attention. James drew his revolver, and aimed it at me.

"You are sentenced to death, for attacking a military officer." James pulled the 'cock' back, and his finger tightened on the trigger.

"Sergeant! Attention!" called a man who wore similar clothing to James, but had a purple sash over it. He had just walked in and seen James aiming his gun at an innocent. James stood to attention. I groaned in pain.

"Sergeant, have you been picking fights with the civilians again?" The officer asked James.

"No sir, General sir, He start…" James went to say before the general punched him in the gut.

"No excuses, Sergeant. I received a report about you getting a bot out of hand. So I came to see for myself. Are you ok young man?" He asked me. My only reply was to spit out an enormous amount of blood, and moan in pain, clutching my chest. The general pulled out a radio phone and call a medical extraction team. Then he asked the bartender what happened.

"Well, the young lad came in and tried to order a drink, the Sergeant has had a few himself, and the two walked into each other, this infuriated James, and the lad just ignored him, until James grabbed him, then the lad knocked him flat."

"Knocked down an officer of the army, hmm?"

"Twice, the second time came after James broke his ribs in that kick." The general looked at me thoughtfully, as the medical extraction team, lifted me onto a stretcher. He had a thoughtful look in his eye, a look I did not like the look of.

"Take him back to base, we will give him a full checkup and Sergeant, I am not finished with you." The general ordered. Everyone nodded and James, genuinely looked frightened, I couldn't even imagine what this general was going to do to him.

But hey, that's not my problem, by fighting James I was not going to affect the storyline at all. So I knew he would still be there in the future. It would suck however if I fought James, and find out he was terminated, therefore he would never become the general… "It will be fine." I told myself over and over again, as I drifted into a state of unconsciousness. "It will be fine."

* * *

 _Yay it is time for the Author's Notes…_

 _I have not much to say, Short chapter to reintroduce the story, after the first one semi flopped. We learnt a lot more from volume 4 and this caused most of the story to die. REDUX is the remake of the RWBY story you all liked of mine. But this idea is a collab so check out amvmasters version._

Amvmaster - Why I hate Vegas Redux

 _But anyway if you enjoyed please drop a favorite, follow and review as they really help me, with the follow on arcs, and motivation. I was motivated to write Why I hate Vegas from the 1000+ readers and hope that I can get that support again so please share with your friends_

 _AND REVIEW THAT IS AN ORDER!_

 _Thanks_

 _Until next time._

 _~Sjin Xephonis~_


	2. Trials and Simulations

_Hey guys and welcome to chapter 2 of REDUX: Why I Hate Vegas._

 _I just wanted to thank you guys for the support in the story, I originally checked and only had 12 views. It still only has 45 views but I do have 3 Favorites and 6 Follows. So I decided to continue with chapter 2._

 _Check out the original story by this guy._

 _s/12466698/1/why-i-hate-vegas-redux_

 _Remember to hit that Fav and Follow button and drop a review. I wanna know what you guys want to see in this story._

 _For now… Read on…_

 _~Sjin Xephonis~_

* * *

I woke from a strange dream. James Ironwood had just been about to kill me. I felt extremely tired and in pain, which I put down to way too many hours drinking.

It was dark in the room, but when I opened my eyes I realized this wasn't my hotel room. Wherever I was had a sterile smell, that made my nose wrinkle up in disgust. I couldn't see anything or hear anything, but I did hear the easy breathing of someone or something nearby.

I lay still trying to gather my thoughts. "Where the fuck was I?" I couldn't remember anything but what happened in the dream. Which was me fighting James, and him breaking my ribs with a powerful kick. I attempted to move so I could get a better view of the room. I nearly cried out in pain but bit my lip. My chest felt like it was being dragged across a bed of broken glass.

"I wouldn't move if I were you." Came a voice to my left. "You suffered three broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder."

"Who are you and where am I?" I demanded. The figure whom I could just make the outline of shushed me.

"My name is John Milan and I am the current general of the Atlesian Army. You are currently recovering in the Atlas base Medbay." he replied.

"Oh great, so that means I'm in Atlas?" I asked

"Yes…" The general replied unsure where this was going

"So i'm in Remnant?"

"Yes." Came the answer again

"The home of Hunters and Huntresses who fight Grimm, and save the four main towns from certain destruction? Where there are people with animal limbs or other body parts that are called Faunus?"

"Yes that is where you are?"

"Good. I thought I was losing my mind for a second there." I replied. The general looked at me as if I had lost my mind.

"Of course I would have needed a mind to begin with." I said with a hearty laugh which made my chest feel inflamed. The general laughed too.

"So giving it a couple of days, you should be free to enter the city of Atlas. Oh , and by the way, I never caught your name."

'Shit! I don't live in Remnant so my name won't be on any records anywhere. Think.'

"My name is Justis Kilimanjaro." 'C'mon you couldn't think of any better names?'

"Well, Mr Kilimanjaro, I hope you recover soon. I have other matters to attend to."

"Goodbye then Mr Milan."

"Please, call me John."

"Goodbye then, John."

"Goodbye, Justis."

* * *

It was three days before I was even allowed to walk around again. John came to see me once more, towards the end of the three days. I was sitting at a chair conveniently placed next to some dude's bed. He had lost his leg from a faulty weapon testing. I had been having conversations with him, whilst he got better. At this moment we were playing a game of checkers.

"Ah, Corporal Mallorie. Nice to see you feeling better. Justis, you too, my dear boy." John said. Mallorie saluted to him. And I just ignored him. After all I wasn't a member of the army.

"A little hello would be nice." John said looking at me.

"Hullo.' I turned and said. Then turned instantly back to the game. John laughed as if I had just told him a joke. I got my first good look at him. He had tanned skin, as though he had lived most of his life on a Puerto Rican beach, but he also had the stature of a man who worked out. A lot. His muscles bulged through his shirt, which I felt was two sizes too small. And his legs looked like tree trunks. Not exactly the type of guy you would want to fuck with. I sensed that their was a lack of muscle between his ears however.

"Justis, take a walk with me." He commanded. As much as I didn't need to comply as I wasn't a member of the army, there was something about John that made me want to listen. Like deep down if I didn't do as he said I would find myself buried alive. I shivered at the thought. I have an extreme case of Claustrophobia, but not many other fears. But that one does me right. I nearly died from being locked in a closet, just the fear taking over.

We began to walk, leaving the medbay behind and going somewhere else inside the army base. I was reminded of a hospital, the walls were all white and the sterile smell was everywhere. I almost choked on it, although after three days in the medbay my sense of smell had gotten used to it.

"Now, you say your name is Justis Kilimanjaro. However there is no records for Kilimanjaro. So who are you really?" I expected this question, and I had been working on a cover story ever since then.

"Well, my mother gave me up the very second I was born. I was thrown to the wilderness. Then After someone found me they raised me for a year, before ditching me. Apparently I brought bad luck. So at thirteen I moved to the city, where I looked after myself. I didn't even have a name by then. So I named myself, and the name Kilimanjaro has stuck ever since."

"Such a sad story. What I get is that you have nowhere to live, and no-one to ever be there for you. I don't believe it. However if what you say is the truth. There is only one thing I can do to help you." I stood there dumbfounded. 'He saw right through…' I started thinking

"I want you to join the Atlesian army." 'Me? Join the army? I never even considered it as a possibility.'

"You will be provided with somewhere to go, somewhere to stay, something to do. And a family that will never turn their backs on you."

"As always what are the terms and conditions of this?"

"You must behave, according to the code of conduct and enlist for at least five years."

"How long am I allowed to think about this."

"Sundown. My office is on the third floor, room H-3CQ5. Ask around if you can't find it." With those words he strode off. Now I was alone. I walked back the way we came. 'Me, an officer in the army?' I am one of the least disciplined people you will ever meet. Although Ironwood is in the army.' I went and sat back down next to Mallorie. John had proved me wrong there was definitely muscle between his ears

"What did General Milan want to talk to you about?." Mallorie asked.

"He has asked me to enlist." I replied. In the three days I had been in this medbay, Mallorie felt like a true friend. Except now that he was missing a leg he had been expelled from the army. After all a legless man was no use to anyone.

"Well, I am sure you're going to love it. Me, I am going home to my family. I have a girlfriend who will be waiting for me."

"Don't you fear what people will think of you?" I asked, I remembered that coming home from WW2 soldiers who had lost limbs were always passed over.

"Of course not. I am still me. They love me for who I am, not what I am." Mallorie's quote just then would forever stay in my mind. Mallorie made me make up my mind just then. I had no family or girlfriend waiting back home. I never could settle down so maybe this was a start.

"I will be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"To tell John I accept his offer." I said as I raced out the door. I had to do it now before I changed my mind.

* * *

The following day was my initiation. I had to sit several aptitude tests, followed by several hours of physical action, exhausting me. All this just to see where I best fit, what my strengths were and what my weaknesses were.

I passed everything with average results, not stand out, not failure. However John was still not ready to give up on me just yet. So the very next day he dragged my pathetic, sorry, bruised arse out of my bed, and down to a room the called the "Holo-Sim".

There were hundreds of simulations to go through, and John allowed me no breaks. I was told they would test my reactions to certain situations, and that I would have no help. Then he played them on a random shuffle order.

I only remember a few of the simulations

-Four terrorists shooting up a nightclub.

-A group of school children surrounding a live grenade.

-A robbery.

-And a wave of Grimm assaulting the city walls.

I reacted the best way I could

I took out one of the terrorists then shot the other three.

I leaped on and covered the grenade with my body

I kept the hostages calm and made sure that no-one did anything stupid, allowing the robbers to get their money and escape with a hostage, who I made sure was me. Then when they exited the building I broke free and dived to the ground letting the would be thieves get riddled with bullets.

I evacuated as many civilians as I could whilst fighting back the Grimm

It was the final scenario that I will always remember…

* * *

"Kilimanjaro, we will be landing soon, get yourself ready." Came the order, but my mind was focused on the scene below me. An entire town, burning.

The army had entered the town and began torching houses and shooting the residents of that town.

Our Pelican landed, and we leaped out into a chaotic warzone. I stood there just staring at the mess, until John ordered me to move deeper into the town. We entered an alleyway, and found a girl about ten years old. She was crying and I yelled at the other four soldiers around me to "Stand Down!" But John was also there and he told them to "Open Fire." I moved to stand between them and the girl in their moment of hesitation.

"Kilimanjaro, you have three seconds to move or I will expel you from the corps." John warned.

"This is madness, attacking a town, killing men, women and children alike! Is this what we were trained for? I want no part if that is the case." I stated. One of the four soldiers lowered his gun and joined me. Staring defiantly at the other three, and John of course.

"Mallorie, Kilimanjaro, you are hereby expelled from the Atlas army. Kill them." John ordered. I pushed the girl to the side diving aside as I did so. Feeling bullets dink off my body armor. Mallorie on the other hand wasn't quite so lucky. He was hit by four bullets and I watched him die.

I pulled out my pistol and fired thrice. The three soldiers dropped dead. Then a fourth bullet took John in the leg as he turned to run.

"You're not going anywhere." I told him, then I hid the young girl behind a box.

"Stay here you'll be safe, I'm going to get rid of all the bad men."

"Will that bring my mommy back?" The girl asked.

"I don't know, I hope so." I said as a tear rolled down my cheek. Then I grabbed John and dragged him struggling out into the middle of the town. Every soldier nearby stopped what they were doing to watch.

"Help me fools! This man is a Traitor!" John hissed.

"And this man is a tyrant! But we no longer need to worry about hir rules or obeying his orders, do you men and women believe it's okay to kill innocent people, slaughtering them the way we did tonight? No more!" I yelled. I pointed my pistol at John's head. Several of the assembled soldiers gasped. Then I fired.

The simulation ended.

* * *

John stood there staring at me with a shocked, disbelief look on his face. I read it like an open book.

"You just killed your own commander?!" Was his thoughts.

"Did you like my performance?" I asked.

"You did remarkably well." He said but his mouth was still gaping open like a fish. I felt a little bad for the guy he just watched me execute him. Even if it was just a simulation.

"I do think we have found the perfect branch for you, though." John said.

"Great, what is it?" I asked.

"Guardian. Protector of the weak. The hand of justice." He said grinning. 'Not another name joke' I thought to myself.

"Lieutenant Ramos, here will take you down to the armory and get you outfitted. Then you will begin training tomorrow morning." One of the men nearby stepped forward. A massive grin on his face. I followed him out of the simulation room.

"That last simulation was a personal simulation, made specially to test you. But you earnt my respect." The lieutenant said.

"Why?" I asked

"Because no-one in this facility except you would have the balls to shoot General Milan. I admire that."

"Well, thanks." I said.

"He does have the tendency to get out of control, he broke the arms of his two door guards after they let in a guest that pissed John off." Ramos continued "Even though he told them to let him in."

"Great…" I said.

"Well here we are." Ramos said, we entered one of the most technologically advanced looking places I have ever seen. But the weapons were still old fashioned. There were lugers and machine pistols.

"You can pick two side arms and a primary." Ramos said. I took my time. Starting with the sidearms I looked for two almost complete opposites. A pure stealth, silenced pistol. There were USP-S and a bunch of other silenced weapons but the one I wanted was The Walther PP, with an attached silencer. Then for my other firearm I went for power below the hand cannon but still high damaging potential. I eventually found the perfect pistol. A 92G Wilson Beretta combat pistol.

For the primary however there wasn't much of a choice. I wanted to go with an AK-47, but Ramos told me I would have to order one in as the military didn't stock any of those types of weapons. So I stuck with a simple M4A4, with the promise that I would be allowed to get a SSG-08 If I needed it for a mission.

The guns were quite bland and ugly but with some spray paint I could make them look nice. A custom paintjob finish will just make them so awesome. Ramos signed the form for my weapons. Then I had to get outfitted in the white body armor of the Atlas soldiers. However mine was less bulky and therefore less protective. But I had to be more inconspicuous. Ramos signed off my armor. Then he went through the basics of looking after my gear because any replacing or repairing that needed done to it would come out my own weekly payments.

I was ready to go. Then Ramos dropped me off at my room and told me one last thing.

"James Ironwood is gonna be taking your trainings." He laughed as he walked off, and I had no doubt that John was behind this malicious act. I couldn't do anything about it, so I decided to sleep it off


End file.
